20070423 Tiampo Has High School Jersey Retired(1)

University of Arizona Athletics

<?xml:namespace prefix = st1 ns = "urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:smarttags" /><st1:City w:st="on">TUCSON</st1:City>, <st1:State w:st="on">Ariz.</st1:State> ? <A class=ARTICLELINK href="/ViewArticle.dbml?ATCLID=526023"><A class=ARTICLELINK href="/ViewArticle.dbml?ATCLID=526023">Samantha Tiampo</A></A> a freshman on the <st1:State w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Arizona</st1:place></st1:State> women’s soccer team received the honor of having her high school jersey retired on March 14. This was the first time ever that <st1:PlaceName w:st="on">Northwood</st1:PlaceName> <st1:PlaceType w:st="on">High School</st1:PlaceType> in <st1:place w:st="on"><st1:City w:st="on">Irvine</st1:City>, <st1:State w:st="on">Calif.</st1:State></st1:place> has retired a soccer player’s number. “My jersey being retired was a huge surprise to me,” Tiampo said. “I had no idea it was coming. I went to the banquet over spring break thinking that I was there to hand out some awards, and then my coach Steve Tatone starts talking about me and says that they've decided to retire my number. To be honest I was kind of embarrassed because I don’t really like being put on the spot like that. But it is such a big honor to have my number retired and to know that I was such a big part of Northwood High soccer. I feel very lucky to have been a part of the whole experience.” Tiampo received a framed jersey to keep and the school will be hanging another framed jersey either in the gym or the athletic offices. “Who better to represent our program,” Tatone said. “Sammy is an excellent student, human being and the consummate teammate. Everybody loves her. When I tell my eight-year-old daughter to work hard and have fun, she asks if I mean like Sammy Tiampo.”